


Downpour

by MadalineGrace



Series: What's Your Emergency? [16]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sleepwalking, mild hypothermia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadalineGrace/pseuds/MadalineGrace
Summary: When Bobby's phone rings at three in the morning, the last thing he expects is a panicked, confused Buck stranded alone in a storm.
Series: What's Your Emergency? [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688359
Comments: 14
Kudos: 313





	Downpour

When the phone rang at three in the morning, Bobby strongly considered hurling the offending device at the wall hard enough to shatter it. However, the LAFD fire captain inside of him reasoned that he should at least check who was calling first, if for no other reason than to tell them to piss off. Besides, telemarketers generally didn’t call at this hour. It was lucky that Athena was working tonight, because she would have had qualms about smashing the damn thing. With a resigned groan, he fumbled blindly for moment before locating his phone on the bedstand. Bobby frowned when he didn’t recognize the number.

“’Lo?” He mumbled.

“ _B-Bobby?_ ” The voice on the other end was small, hesitant, and so horribly familiar. Any trace of sleep was gone in an instant as he shot up in bed.

“Buck? What’s going on? Where are you calling from?”

“ _I d-don’t r-really know._ ” Bobby’s heart seized. It wasn’t often he heard fear and uncertainty in his youngest recruit’s voice, but every time, it was like a knife to the chest.

“Okay, kid. Just start with what you do know. Whose phone are you using?”

“ _A p-payphone. Found a c-couple quarters._ ” Bobby was starting to get concerned about the short sentences and stuttered words.

“Good. Do you remember how you got there?”

“ _N-no…I don’t…B-Bobby, I can’t! I c-can’t-_ “

“Easy, Buck. Just breathe. We can figure that out later, okay? It doesn’t matter.” Bobby soothed. “Now, I’m gonna come find you, come pick you up, but I need to ask you one more question first, and this is an important one. Are you hurt anywhere or feeling sick?” Bobby asked gently. Something was clearly wrong, and he needed to know if this was something he could handle himself or if he should be calling for reinforcements.

“ _N-no, just cold._ ” Bobby cursed to himself. It was an unseasonably cold night _and_ it was pouring. If Buck was at an outdoor payphone, he must be soaked to the skin.

“Alright, Buck, can you look around and see if there are any street signs or businesses? Anything that can tell me where you are.” Bobby directed, fighting to keep his voice calm as he slipped on a pair of shoes and shrugged on a rain jacket. He was thankful that Harry and May were spending the night with Michael, otherwise he’d be dragging them with as well.

“ _Ummm, B-Britton’s Diner an’ R-R-Rodney’s C-Cleaner’s._ ” Buck could barely get the words out. He was shivering so hard that Bobby could hear the phone thudding against his head. He quickly punched the locations into his phone’s GPS app, then froze.

“Buck, that’s forty-five minutes from your apartment.” Bobby said softly. “What are you doing over there?”

“ _I d-d-don’t know.”_ Whispered Buck, sounding more scared than Bobby had heard him in a long time.

“It’s okay, kid. We’ll figure it out. Just hang tight, huh? I’m on my way over.” Bobby promised, grabbing an armful of towels and blankets as he ran out to his car. “Is there somewhere you can go while you wait so you can warm up a bit?”

“ _N-no. Everythin’s c-closed-d. Don’t h-have any m-money._ ” Bobby chewed his lip as he sped away from the house. It would take him at least twenty minutes to get there, and that was bending a few traffic laws.

“I know Athena’s patrolling a different section of the city tonight, but I can call another cop to come sit with-“

“ _No! N-no, p-please, Bobby._ ”

“Okay, then you need to find something out of the rain at least. Look for a doorway or an awning nearby. I’ll be there soon.”

“ _P-promise?_ ” Bobby’s stomach flipped at the way Buck’s voice broke.

“Promise.”

* * *

The twenty-five-minute drive was made in a record seventeen minutes. Bobby screeched to halt outside of the diner, his tires skidding a little in the heavy rain, and immediately leapt out.

“Buck!” Bobby shouted into the empty, dimly lit street.

“H-here.” The voice was so quite he almost missed it beneath the rumble of the storm. Bobby found him huddled beneath a fire escape, absolutely drenched, and his heart wanted break. Few times in his life had Bobby ever seen Buck look so lost and confused. Without a second thought, he slid to his knees and pulled Buck to his chest, not caring how the water seeped into his pajama bottoms.

“I’ve gotcha. I’m here now.” He whispered fiercely. Buck wrapped his arms around Bobby’s shoulders, hesitantly at first, then clung to him with desperate intensity, shaking so hard Bobby thought he might come apart.

“Y-you c-c-came.” There was a note of surprise in his voice.

“Of course I came. I will _always_ come.”

“I-I know its l-late…’m s-s’rry.”

“It’s doesn’t matter, kid. What matters is that you’re safe. Let’s get you warmed up, huh? Out of this wet stuff?” Bobby suggested, eyeing the sopping clothes. He noted that Buck was wearing a pair of old shorts and a well worn LAFD t-shirt, which was the closest thing to pajamas Buck owned. Bobby filed it away for later.

“W-warm sounds g-g-good.” Buck managed a ghost of a smile as Bobby helped him across the rapidly flooding street and over to his still-running car. Buck paused outside of the passenger door.

“Buck?”

“I’ll g-get your s-seat w-w-wet.” He stammered nervously. Bobby rolled his eyes.

“Oh for the love of-“ He pulled the door open and all but lifted Buck inside. “I don’t care about the seats, kid. I care about you and the fact you are probably hypothermic right now.” Bobby slammed the door and ran around to the driver’s side. When he slid in, Buck was staring over at him, wide-eyed. “What?”

“S-startin’ t’ g-get like “Thena.” Buck muttered. Bobby snorted, cranking the heat and snagging a couple towels from the backseat.

“Yeah, well, you give me another middle-of-the-night heart attack and you’ll see just how much like her I can be.” He replied, wringing as much water as he could from Buck’s hair. In the yellow light of the cab, he was starting to notice the myriad of scrapes and bruises scattered across his body. As lightly as he could, he drew his finger across a shallow cut on Buck’s jaw. “Buck, do you have any idea how you got this? Did someone do this to you?” Bobby kept his tone gentle, but firm. Buck sniffed, looking out the window as he shivered hard into the blankets.

“I-I really d-don’t rememb-ber. I w-went to b-bed, I th-think and…” He trailed off, clearly drawing a blank. Bobby nodded.

“Why don’t we head over to your place and check things out. We’ll get you some dry clothes, see how things look and if anything jogs your memory, then go from there, okay?” Buck nodded jerkily, but said nothing. With his best fatherly smile, Bobby gave his shoulder a small squeeze, wrapped the blankets a little tighter, then headed off into the night.

* * *

The storm was still raging by the time they reached Buck’s apartment. As they trudged through the hallway, Bobby was the first to notice his front door standing wide open. He held Buck back with an arm across his chest.

“Stay behind me.” He muttered quietly as he pulled out his phone and dialed 911. He didn’t hit the call button yet, but he wanted to be ready. Something about this whole situation wasn’t sitting right with him.

The crept forward as silently as their wet, squishy shoes would allow. Although the door was open, there were no obvious signs of forced entry. The lights inside were off and nothing seemed broken or out of place. After Bobby had quickly cleared the small loft, he waved Buck inside.

“All c-clear?” He asked, his shivering having lessened somewhat on the drive over thanks to Bobby’s excellent heater. Bobby had sweated buckets, but he figured it was a small price to pay.

“Looks fine to me. Your TV and everything are still here too.” Bobby noted. Buck shrugged.

“Maybe I left on my own?” He suggested. Bobby cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t comment. Instead, he pointed up toward the bathroom.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” With his hands on Buck shoulders, he steered him up the stairs and sat him down on the edge of tub with instructions to shower before heading off himself in search of clothes. If Buck found this strange, he said nothing. As Bobby was pulling a pair of sweats from the drawer, he noticed an orange prescription bottle on the nightstand. Normally, he wouldn’t snoop, but Buck always prided himself on avoiding medications. As Bobby examined the label, the pieces began to come together.

* * *

Bobby waited five minutes after he heard the shower turn off before heading into the bathroom.

“Feeling better?” He asked mildly as he held out the hoodie and sweats he’d found.

“Definitely warmer.” Buck replied, accepting them gratefully. Bobby turned slightly, giving Buck time to change. When Buck was ready, he moved out to the bedroom and sat down, patting the mattress for Buck to join him.

“Come here. I wanna ask you something.” Buck’s posture immediately stiffened.

“Okay?” He asked nervously. Bobby held out the pill bottle.

“Ambien.” Was all he said. Buck nodded, not meeting Bobby’s eyes. When Buck didn’t elaborate, Bobby pressed on. “How long have you been having trouble sleeping?”

“It’s nothing, I-“

“Buck, don’t. I know how much you hate medication and I know how much it had to have been bothering you for you to see a doctor about this. Please don’t tell me it’s nothing.” Buck’s shoulders slumped and he took a deep breath.

“Since the tsunami. I was starting to zone out at work so I…I went and talked to my doctor.” He admitted quietly.

“This is a pretty high dose. It must’ve really been bothering you.” Bobby kept his tone neutral, without any judgement.

“I just couldn’t stop replaying it. _Every night_. I’d fall asleep for a little while and then the wave would always hit and…” When he didn’t finish, Bobby gave his knee a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re telling me. I want to help you.”

“I thought those pills would help.” Buck said with a derisive snort. “And yet here I am, awake before the sun once again.”

“About that.” Bobby began. “How much do you know about Ambien?”

“Ummm, it’s a sleep aid. Used to treat insomnia, right?”

“It is, but it’s a lot more than that. Ambien, or Zolpidem, is a type of sedative with some pretty well-documented hypnotic, hallucinatory, and amnesiac side effects. Not everyone has a bad experience with it, but quite a few people have had what can only be described as a world-class case of sleep walking on it. Driving, making purchases, even sex.” Bobby explained. Buck stared at him in shock. “Didn’t your doctor talk to you about this?”

“To be honest, I was more than half asleep during that appointment.” Confessed Buck.

“I kind of figured. And I think we may have figured out what happened here.”

“Well…shit.”

“But what that doesn’t explain is why you were so upset.” Bobby continued.

“What do you mean?”

“Buck, when you called me, you were _scared._ You managed to get halfway across the city in a blind panic.”

“I…oh.”

“Buck? Did the rain trigger you?” Bobby asked gently. For a moment, Bobby thought he wasn’t going to answer. Then,

“Sometimes, the rain on these big windows, it can look like you’re underwater. It’s beautiful, really. It was one of the things I loved about this place.” Buck’s said quietly. “I guess when you’re drugged up on sleeping pills, it looks a little different.” Bobby glanced over at the rain streaked glass.

“Do you think you can sleep tonight?” Buck chewed his lip uncertainly. “If I stay here?” Bobby offered. Buck’s head shot up.

“No, Bobby. You don’t have to. I already dragged you out of bed and made you-“

“You didn’t make me do anything. I came because I wanted to. Because I care about you. One of these days, you’re gonna get that through your head. Now, I’m gonna stay here for the rest of the night so that you can get some sleep.” When Buck started to protest, Bobby held up a hand. “And I don’t wanna hear any arguments. We’re both exhausted, we’re both off tomorrow, and I don’t wanna drive all the way back to my house. So, shut up and scoot over.” Buck stared in wide-eyed amazement for a couple seconds before smiling shyly.

“Thank you, Bobby.”

With the lights off and nothing but the sound of the rain between them, Bobby reached out a hand and squeezed Buck’s forearm.

“Turn that brain of yours off, kid. I’ll be here in case anything happens.”

And so, Buck slept. And for the first time in months, he did not dream of towering waves or awful death.


End file.
